Lands End to Lowestoft on midsummers night 2014
Discussion
Jim Sprinzel said:
Leaving Land’s End, in front of us were a Mitsubishi GTO and the guy in the Golf convertible but no sign of anyone else. The folk in the B Class weren’t even in their car!
We started down the narrow twisty section of the A30 towards Penzance at a fair lick between 40 and 50mph, where possible. After about 5 miles, the Golf got past the Mitsubishi, who showed no signs of backing off and we tucked in about 100 yards behind.
We were through Penzance in no time at all and out the other end. There was no sign of the Golf, just the Mitsubishi.
We followed him for a few miles then on went his indicator and he pulled into a lay-by and we drove past. I started to wonder why he had pulled over then looked in horror at the sat nav. We were on the wrong road!
We were so intent on following the Mitsubishi, that we had missed our turning on a roundabout. What a schoolboy error on my part since I was supposed to be navigating![/footnote]
That was me in the GTO that pulled over, I was also attempting the Lands end to Lowestoft run, It turns out my engine decided to have a full on melt down and leave me stranded at Penzance! Had planned the trip a few months previous and was really looking forward to it, then to be barely started and have my car let me down, I was absolutely gutted! Have always vowed to attempt it again as it now feels like unfinished business. The GTO is now in fine fettle, so may give it another go.We started down the narrow twisty section of the A30 towards Penzance at a fair lick between 40 and 50mph, where possible. After about 5 miles, the Golf got past the Mitsubishi, who showed no signs of backing off and we tucked in about 100 yards behind.
We were through Penzance in no time at all and out the other end. There was no sign of the Golf, just the Mitsubishi.
We followed him for a few miles then on went his indicator and he pulled into a lay-by and we drove past. I started to wonder why he had pulled over then looked in horror at the sat nav. We were on the wrong road!
We were so intent on following the Mitsubishi, that we had missed our turning on a roundabout. What a schoolboy error on my part since I was supposed to be navigating![/footnote]
I was discussing this with the missus yesterday, we were trying to work out the logistics of it 
We (like most probably) would have a 4+ hour drive down to Lands End in the first place so wouldn't really fancy doing that on the Saturday.
We ended up deciding that you'd need to drive most of the way there Friday evening then stay somewhere for the night. On the Saturday you can do the remaining miles as well as maybe take in a few sights. We think you'd also have to have somewhere cheap booked for Saturday (you'd obviously have to pay as if you were staying the night) that will allow you to checkin at say 2:30pm but then you'd have to leave at say 8pm ready for the drive, hopefully you could get a few hours sleep in.
After the drive over to Lowestoft, maybe try and have somewhere booked ready to collapse into at 4/5am 'ish to try and get a few more hours sleep before the drive home ?
We (like most probably) would have a 4+ hour drive down to Lands End in the first place so wouldn't really fancy doing that on the Saturday.
We ended up deciding that you'd need to drive most of the way there Friday evening then stay somewhere for the night. On the Saturday you can do the remaining miles as well as maybe take in a few sights. We think you'd also have to have somewhere cheap booked for Saturday (you'd obviously have to pay as if you were staying the night) that will allow you to checkin at say 2:30pm but then you'd have to leave at say 8pm ready for the drive, hopefully you could get a few hours sleep in.
After the drive over to Lowestoft, maybe try and have somewhere booked ready to collapse into at 4/5am 'ish to try and get a few more hours sleep before the drive home ?
Bluedot said:
I was discussing this with the missus yesterday, we were trying to work out the logistics of it
We (like most probably) would have a 4+ hour drive down to Lands End in the first place so wouldn't really fancy doing that on the Saturday.
We ended up deciding that you'd need to drive most of the way there Friday evening then stay somewhere for the night. On the Saturday you can do the remaining miles as well as maybe take in a few sights. We think you'd also have to have somewhere cheap booked for Saturday (you'd obviously have to pay as if you were staying the night) that will allow you to checkin at say 2:30pm but then you'd have to leave at say 8pm ready for the drive, hopefully you could get a few hours sleep in.
After the drive over to Lowestoft, maybe try and have somewhere booked ready to collapse into at 4/5am 'ish to try and get a few more hours sleep before the drive home ?
Last year, we left Brussels at 8 am Saturday, drove to the tunnel, stopped at my brother's place in Wiltshire for lunch, stopped at an old uni friend on the Devon/Cornwall border for a clotted cream tea (with industrial strength coffee), arrived at Land's End in time for dinner, set off at 9.36, drove through the night to Lowestoft, then headed straight back to the tunnel and on home (arrived about 14.00 on the Sunday if I remember correctly). We (like most probably) would have a 4+ hour drive down to Lands End in the first place so wouldn't really fancy doing that on the Saturday.
We ended up deciding that you'd need to drive most of the way there Friday evening then stay somewhere for the night. On the Saturday you can do the remaining miles as well as maybe take in a few sights. We think you'd also have to have somewhere cheap booked for Saturday (you'd obviously have to pay as if you were staying the night) that will allow you to checkin at say 2:30pm but then you'd have to leave at say 8pm ready for the drive, hopefully you could get a few hours sleep in.
After the drive over to Lowestoft, maybe try and have somewhere booked ready to collapse into at 4/5am 'ish to try and get a few more hours sleep before the drive home ?
1952km over 2 days without sleep - it can be done!
sunbeam alpine said:
Last year, we left Brussels at 8 am Saturday, drove to the tunnel, stopped at my brother's place in Wiltshire for lunch, stopped at an old uni friend on the Devon/Cornwall border for a clotted cream tea (with industrial strength coffee), arrived at Land's End in time for dinner, set off at 9.36, drove through the night to Lowestoft, then headed straight back to the tunnel and on home (arrived about 14.00 on the Sunday if I remember correctly).
1952km over 2 days without sleep - it can be done!
That is mental. 1952km over 2 days without sleep - it can be done!
But nice work
sunbeam alpine said:
1952km over 2 days without sleep - it can be done!
Well done! We did it in 2014 (you can see the pictures in this thread) from Dusseldorf and back. Left Friday June 20th at 8 am, crossed to Dover and drove to Land's End, left at 9:36 pm, arrived at Lowestoft more or less at dawn, drove to Canterbury for breakfast, left Dover at 11:15 am by ferry and arrived back in Dusseldorf on Saturday at 8 pm. 1482 miles in 36 hours.Edited by chalda on Tuesday 19th April 20:45
Khaki Suit said:
I'd like to do this sometime but I originate from Lowestoft. May seem like a bit of an anti-climax ending up there.
Plus I now live only an hour or so away from Lowestoft so I will be basically driving there and back in one day unless I stay over somewhere and break it up.
Do it on the shortest day and drive to Lands End instead Plus I now live only an hour or so away from Lowestoft so I will be basically driving there and back in one day unless I stay over somewhere and break it up.
We are doing this on Sat 25th June, others are welcome to join us. Originally there was a large event on this date organised by Rally for Heroes. It got cancelled but we are still pressing ahead.
Logistically I'll drive down there on the day late afternoon after a long sleep in Bristol.
Logistically I'll drive down there on the day late afternoon after a long sleep in Bristol.
I'm thinking about it but how much "attention" from the police does such an event usually get? They must know that it happens and that there'll be some people who probably won't be as law abiding as others when it come to speed attending and I could do without the hassle/ASBO (or whatever the "anti car-meet" thing is) to be honest.
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